Last Saturday March 17, 2018 I put a little Irish in my step and participated in my second BMO St. Patrick’s Day 5km. This is the perfect event if you like like running/ walking , having fun, and Beer! Read on for my race recap.
High profile sponsors like BMO, Running Room, Saucony, and Granville Island Brewing helped to make this race a top-notch event. A team from the Stanley Park Ecological Society held a bag check by donation, which I understand was well managed with reasonable lines.
Race communication and directions were clear and concise. With limited parking and road closures participants were encouraged to take public transportation,Mobi bike, carpool or park outside the park. Mobi provided a Free 24 hour race day pass to all participants and Evo provided a free trial with 45 minutes of driving included.
The run started and finished at the Stanley Park Pavilion with a scenic loop of Stanley Park in-between. At $28 for early registration and $38 for late registration its affordable in race world. Registration does not include the technical T-shirt which is an additional $20, however it does include a post-race Granville Island Brewing souvenir beer glass, and entrance into the #GIB after party.
Likes:
- Lively and fun ambiance – costumes, tutus, and Irish flare. Go for the race but be prepared to stay for the after party. Good food, Beer, DJ and lots of FUN. The bar was open so if you attend next year be sure to bring your loot.
- The Souvenir Beer glass – Lets face it a bit more useful than a finishing medal.
- It’s cheap – $38 (max)…..But be warned if you are staying for the after party it could add up. I was fortunate enough to participate with my co-workers, and The Great Little Box Company generously covered our registration fees.
- Irish Stew– Mahony & Sons provided post race fare was delicious and perfectly matched with my refreshing ice cold #GIB beer.
-
- Women- Technical Shirt
-
- Souvenir glass
-
- Men- Technical Shirt
Dislikes:
- Not many kilometer markers – I saw one at the one mile mark, but that was it. Apparently there were others but I missed them. Either they weren’t well marked or I was really in the zone.
- Long lines – I was fortunate enough to finish the race early enough that the lines were manageable. If you are walking or taking it slow be prepared to wait in long lines, First to get beer tickets, then again to get into the pavilion, and finally once inside to get your beer.
How DId i Do?
Initially I was admit I wasn’t overly thrilled with my time of 25:15, despite placing 14th in my division. However in writing this post I discovered that I beat my 2015 pre-baby time by a full three minutes, and maintained by 14th place division title.. post-baby. I have since given myself a stern talking to, about being too hard on myself, and a well deserved pat on the back. 😉
Would I do this again?
Absolutely! If you are considering participating next year my advise…..train for the hills. The website says it’s a flat course, but living in Richmond I would have to disagree, as would the front of my shins. Plus if you train for the hills you will be faster, which will help you get to the after party sooner….before the lines get too long. 😉
Photo: Yaletown Photography.
See you there next year!
This sounds like so much fun!
This is awesome and kudos to you for completing this. You definitely deserve a pat on the back!
Thank you it was a lot of fun!
It sounds like you had fun! It’s always good to get outside, have some fun and challenge the body!
Thank you it was a great challenge and uncovered a need for more hill work.
Well done on beating your previous years time, that is brilliant. It looks like a really fun day. I like your tip of training for the hills, to run faster and beat the queue haha.
Thanks I thought it was a good idea….and the motivation is there too.
That sounds like a lot of fun to have. Its not that bad in the price to participate. There’s a lot of 5 K races around where I live but never done it.
I encourage you to participate in a fun one, you can walk it the positive energy is so great to be around.
I really wish that I could run a 5k. With major back issues, I have not been able to run in years. Walking it might be ok depending on the day. I suffer from rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia.
I am sorry to hear that, running would be out for you. Maybe you could volunteer to give out medals or refreshments at the finish-line. THat way you could soak up the positive energy.
It sounds like a blast! And yeah, super affordable. I think long lines are synonymous with races , but it sure is nice when they’ve taken steps to minimize the lines. Train for the hills is great advice for any race, like you said, you’ll be faster from it. Thanks for sharing this racing gem!
It was thank you. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment.
A 5k is such a great thing to do. And I adore how everyone dressed up. It’s so fun to participate when an event revolves around a theme. <3
I agree fun themed raced are quickly becoming my favourite.
This sounds so much fun than an ordinary marathon or race and I’m not even just hyped because of the St. Patrick theme. It’s your own glowing success for beating your own record when you’re supposed to be “younger/healthier” that gets me pumped up. I hope there’s an Easter equivalent somewhere around me this weekend!
THank you so much, and thank you for adding glowing to my success. 🙂 Enjoy I hope they have one for you too….that would be so much fun costumewise. 😉
LOVE LOVE LOVE the costumes that you wore for this run! Nothing better then adding exercise and fun , to make the time go by.
Thank you I agree fitness can be fun!
After reading your post next year even I want to participate 🙂 Totally love the outfits!
That is terrific! Glad you found some inspiration here. Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to comment.
I think your time was great! Don’t be so hard on yourself, you did a great job.
My girlfriends and I love fun runs like this where we get to dress up! This would be so fantastic for us to do! Wish we could have planned it well for this year!